railing

noun

rail·​ing ˈrā-liŋ 

1

: a barrier consisting of a rail and supports

2

: rails

also : material for making rails

Synonyms of railing

• rail

Examples of railing in a Sentence

He leaned on the deck's railing and watched the sun set.

they had to put a childproof railing on the balcony when the baby started walking

Recent Examples on the Web

Paper wasps build nests under eaves, benches and fence railings and will sting if disturbed. — Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2026

The case against railings hasn’t changed much since 1980, either. — Joseph V. Sakran, Baltimore Sun, 15 Aug. 2026

Meanwhile, a Lowcountry cottage might have beadboard detailing on the ceiling, along with open railings and a haint blue ceiling. — Heather Bien, Southern Living, 13 Aug. 2026

Russell shares that wrought iron railings, gates, and balconies are all coming back into vogue, just with a bit of a fresher touch. — Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 13 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for railing

• ailing
• bailing
• baling
• failing
• flailing
• grayling
• hailing
• jailing
• mailing
• nailing
• paling
• sailing

Kids Definition

railing

noun

rail·​ing ˈrā-liŋ 

1

: a barrier (as a fence) consisting of rails and their supports

2

: material for rails